More heart screening needed for athletes 運動員多「觀」心

Ryan Shay competes in the 2005 ING New York City Marathon, Nov. 6,2005. PHOTO: AP二OO五年十一月六日，萊恩•謝伊參加ING紐約是國際馬拉松賽。美聯社

Having an enlarged heart is the biggest cause of sudden death among young athletes, and some experts say more and better screening is needed.

Too often, heart problems that can cause an irregular heartbeat and sudden death are missed, said Dr. Lori Mosca, who works at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Mosca spoke at an American Heart Association meeting in Florida where cardiologists have been talking about the death of Ryan Shay. Earlier this month the 28-year-old runner was competing in New York in the men's marathon Olympic trials when he died suddenly.

According to his father, Shay had an enlarged heart that was first diagnosed when he was 14. But whether that contributed to his death isn't yet known.

"It's hard on all of us when something like this happens to a person who is doing all the right things as far as we can tell," said Mosca, a marathon runner herself. "We have to use this as an example to try to prevent future problems."

About 125 athletes under 35 involved in organized sports die of sudden death in the US each year, said Dr. Barry J. Maron of the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation. The vast majority are cardiac-related.

Maron said many of the cardiac diseases that can lead to sudden death can be spotted through screening. She helped write heart association guidelines that aid doctors in screening athletes.

"Even with an evaluation, there's no guarantee that you can prevent sudden death," Mosca said. "What ultimately happens is a balancing of the risk of participating in sports against the benefits."

Shay had had medical tests last spring and was cleared for running, according to his father, Joe Shay. He said his son hadn't complained of any problems.

OUT LOUD 對話練習

Cleo: My cat ate some shoddy food and has been sick for the past three days.

Adam: So why are you so sad? You're not the one who's sick.

Cleo: You have no heart! I don't want to talk to you anymore.

Adam: What's the matter? It's just a cat.

Cleo: The way people treat animals shows what kind of character they have. Next time you're sick, don't come looking for sympathy from me.

克莉歐：我的貓咪吃了些黑心食物，所以這三天來牠都不太舒服。

亞當：那妳為什麼那麼難過？又不是妳生病。

克莉歐：你這個沒心肝的傢伙！我再也不要跟你說話了。

亞當：這有什麼大不了嗎？不過就是一隻貓嘛。

克莉歐：一個人對待動物的方式顯示這個人的性格，下次你生病，別想我會同情你。

has no heart 沒心肝

Somebody who has no heart is mean, cruel or thoughtless. For example, "Did you hear what Paul said to that girl? He really has no heart."

用「has no heart」來形容一個人，表示這個人很惡劣、冷酷或是不體貼。例如：「你有聽到保羅對那個女孩說了什麼嗎？他真是一個沒心肝的傢伙耶」。